The city of Atlanta will begin allowing outdoor events with under 2,000 people after May 15, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Wednesday.

Bottoms issued an executive order lifting the city’s moratorium on permit applications for events like festivals and other large gatherings, though outdoor events for more than 2,000 people are still not allowed.

The events must occur after May 15, and must observe COVID-19 safety guidelines, according to the mayor’s order.

Bottoms put a temporary ban on any public gatherings of more than 50 people last March.

In another lifting of pandemic measures, all outdoor basketball hoops will also be reinstalled at city courts by April 1, Bottoms announced. The city has already reinstalled hoops at more than 20 courts.

The city’s recreational youth baseball program is also set to resume in April; residents are urged to contact their local recreation center for more details.

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Donald Trump's administration deployed the military to Washington, D.C., in the name of fighting crime, and in an Aug. 11 news conference he mentioned the possibility of military being sent to other large American cities, all of which are led by Black, Democratic mayors. And while Atlanta wasn't included in Trump's list, the city fits that profile under Mayor Andre Dickens. (Photo Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC | Source: Getty)

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